{
  "id": 14779073,
  "title": "Bildung: Die Schule der Besten: Sieben Dinge, die Deutschland von den Bildungschampions lernen kann",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/bildung-die-schule-der-besten-sieben-dinge-die-deutschland-von-den",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-15T20:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/jugend-was-das-deutsche-bildungssystem-von-den-pisa-siegern-lernen-kann/100261801.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Germany must heed the wisdom of clever minds. The nation's education policy has lagged behind for decades. The government must look to other countries for inspiration. Policymakers must address the consequences of Artificial Intelligence without delay. The issue begins with basic principles. Michael von Briel expects these from his apprentice trainees, yet often finds the opposite: they struggle with fundamental tasks, such as searching for a value in a table or identifying a fault in a malfunctioning machine. Even within the training school, internships are not always smooth. Language barriers affect some trainees, leading to difficulty following lessons and scoring poorly on tests. Others struggle with mathematics. \"We try to catch all of this internally,\" von Briel says, \"to consistently produce high-quality specialists despite different backgrounds.\" The good news is that these efforts pay off. Eto trainees frequently rank among the top of their year. The bad news is that a significant effort is required, particularly for the Eto group. However, this concern is not unique to the Eto Group in Germany. A 2026 study by the German Industry and Commerce Chamber (DIHK) of 14,000 companies found that 94% report a lack of training readiness - a new record. This is disastrous for a country lacking natural resources and cheap manufacturing capacity, with only intelligent minds to compete with. Regardless of whether it is supporting those who need more assistance or training top talents, German schools consistently fall short at both ends of the performance spectrum. Nearly one-third of German 15-year-olds, surveyed between March and May 2025 for the Pisa study, fail to meet the minimum level required for success in training, work, and daily life. One-quarter of young people lack adequate competence in the natural sciences. One-fifth cannot demonstrate basic skills in any of the three areas. \"They cannot read smoothly,\" says Olaf Köller, co-chairman of the Permanent Scientific Commission of the Cultural Ministers' Conference (SWK). \"In mathematics, they are at best on the level of sixth-graders.\" In fact, all German students, across all school types, are in a downward trend. Meanwhile, performance gaps between disadvantaged and privileged students are wider than in most other developed countries. Internationally, China's regions of Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang lead in natural sciences and mathematics. Singapore leads in reading. The Ifo Education Economist Ludger Wößmann recently spoke of Germany's \"dramatic decline\": Since 2022, the decline in mathematics and reading skills corresponds to a loss in earnings of three to four percent. The economic damage is estimated in the billions over a generation. Other countries are preparing their students for 2035; Germany, if it is lucky, is preparing for 2005. No issue has the political center failed as poorly in education policy over the past quarter-century as the CDU, CSU, SPD, Greens, and FDP have collectively failed in their roles in Germany's most vital resource. Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the latest Pisa results \"disconcerting,\" and Education Minister Karin Prien (both CDU) described them as \"concerning.\" Solutions to these problems exist worldwide, from Estonia to Singapore to Britain. The Handelsblatt correspondents have researched these solutions across the globe over the past few weeks. The seven solutions they have learned must be learned from, even if Germany does not need to copy them one for one.",
  "summary": "Das deutsche Schulsystem wird nicht besser, sondern schlechter. Dabei machen erfolgreiche Länder vor, wie es besser geht. Eine Reise zu den besten Bildungssystemen der Welt.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}